Day One - race update and video

3 November 2014

The first day of the ISDE always sees nervous riders in the Paddock just before the start of the event and today was no exception.

Everywhere you looked people were trying to stay clam or keep the butterflies in check while they waited for their minute to come up. Once the clock ticked over they were allowed into the Parc Ferme to collect their bike and head for the last ten minute work period before they started the race.

Thoughts then turned to the cold start, in which riders need to fire up their bikes and travel an allotted distance in 60 seconds or incur a penalty.

Riders leave in groups of three every minute and head straight for the first special test where all the preparation and training comes into play.

Covering a loop of somewhere around 250 kilometres in seven hours with up to six special timed tests was what they had to look forward to and the only given was that the terrain in Argentina would try to break them.

The Wellard Club Team was ready for the challenge as Chris, Andrew and Gary blasted through the field to take provisional number one place in the Club Team division by the days end.

Chris Bach was clearly liking the conditions, as he was the fastest of the trio, posting some special test times that were in line with the trophy team riders.

Andrew Delong explained he made some silly rookie mistakes and pushed a little too hard today crashing three times in one special test, but vowed to come out more focused tomorrow.

Gary Sutherlin quickly showed why he was on the team matching his teammates with great special test times. “I was being a bit to polite this morning, but in the afternoon I worked out that I had to be more aggressive to pass which I did,” Gary said.

The fantastic result from today will see the Wellard riders move to the front of the Club Team pack, right behind the trophy teams. This will be to the riders liking, as they will not have so many slower riders to contend with at special tests.

Also benefitting the riders is the condition of the trail, which will be better as being further up the field means less bikes have ridden before them.

With day one in the bag, there are still five more to go and anything can happen so keep visiting the site for the updates on Argentina 2014.